1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a non-destructive, electrically-activated, self-decontaminating system for decontaminating a surface and a self-decontaminating fabric which incorporates such a system.
2. Description of the Related Art
After exposure to hazardous chemical or biological agents, the surface of a contaminated object located in a battle field, or in a remote area subjected to an accidental release of hazardous materials, is generally difficult to decontaminate. The availability of decontamination systems at or near such sites is usually limited or non-existent and, in particular, the use of an external decontamination system may be difficult or impractical in a situation where a soldier or relief worker must enter an area on foot and therefore bear the weight or bulkiness of such additional items as well as the responsibility of ensuring they arrive intact. In addition, it may be difficult to regenerate the active ingredients of a decontamination system under such conditions if they become depleted.
It may also be difficult to physically access the surface of an object in order to decontaminate it, regardless of location, particularly electronics enclosed within or behind a protecting structure. Furthermore, many decontaminating agents are delivered as aqueous solutions which can be detrimental to the functionality of the device being treated, particularly those containing water-sensitive electronic components.
Health, safety, or environmental concerns may also be an issue. The nature of a surface such as human skin or clothing, for example, may not be amenable to decontamination by the systems available on site, and decontamination of objects used in facilities open to the public or located in residential or environmentally sensitive areas can be similarly difficult to treat with existing systems.
Various systems and compositions have been proposed in the past to neutralize surfaces contaminated by hazardous biological or chemical agents, including coatings of monomeric or polymeric compositions delivered as foams, sprays, liquids, fogs, aerosols, and photoactive compositions that generate ozone when irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light. In addition, several types of activated ion exchange resins in the form of dry aerosols, dust coatings, or admixed with a carrier (to form a coating) have been used to decontaminate surfaces, and activated resin can also be used to decontaminate fluids. Furthermore, electron beam irradiation, high field ionization, and UV irradiation can be used to decontaminate surfaces.
However, each of these references suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: the supply and transport of equipment such as UV lamps to a contaminated site would be impractical or impossible; the active ingredients are external and must be placed in physical contact with the contaminated surface of the object in order to decontaminate it; the composition or resin is active once applied but can not be activated on demand; the active ingredients are difficult to regenerate if depleted; the systems or coatings used for decontamination are inflexible or not resistant to tears or breaks; the solvents or carriers used to deposit the active ingredients are detrimental to the functionality of the object or device being treated; the technique requires an enclosed space, heavy or bulky equipment, or is too costly for remote or general applications; or activation of the system is hazardous to the environment or to human health or safety.